In Misrata, the General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced late November 18 that its air force bombed a depot of weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles based on accurate intelligence.
In Tripoli, Brigade 106 of the Libyan National Army (LNA) targeted armed groups allied with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in Al-Sawani-Hira battle axis.
On the international level, the European Union has condemned the bombing of a food factory in Wadi Rabea area, south of Tripoli, offering condolences to the families of the victims.
MISRATA
- Libya’s Misrata city was under airstrike attacks in different areas by Khalifa Haftar’s warplanes, which, according to commander of the military intelligence in central Libya Ibrahim Baytalmal, were foreign aircraft. Baytalmal assured Misrata people that the response to the airstrikes will be tough as it was to ISIS in Sirte. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry denied any casualties or serious injuries in the airstrikes on Misrata, while Misrata medical center said 13 injured people arrived in there after the airstrikes [Libya Observer, 19.11.2019];
- the General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced late November 18 that its air force bombed a depot of weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles in Misrata based on accurate intelligence. The General Command explained that the bombing destroyed 19 armored vehicles recently brought by a Turkish civilian ship to the Iron and Steel port in Misrata. LNA Command confirmed that the shelling resulted in a hit and destruction of the armored vehicles with high accuracy. It also led to enormous successive explosions as a result of the storage of weapons, ammunition and missiles at the place [Address Libya, 19.11.2019].
TARHOUNA
- military source: Anti-aircraft defences of the Libyan National Army shoot down in Tarhouna south of Tripoli a Turkish drone took off from Misrata civil airport [Address Libya, 20.11.2019].
TRIPOLI
- two foreign unmanned drones have been ‘‘lost’’ over Tripoli over the last few days. Firstly, two days ago, the Italian embassy confirmed Libyan media reports and photographs that one of its drones had ‘‘crashed’’ in Libyan territory. Libyan reports said it had been located near Tarhuna, about 65 km southwest of the capital Tripoli. The Italian statement said that ‘‘Today (21 November) a remotely piloted aircraft Predator of the Italian Air Force, which was carrying out a mission to support the ‘‘Mare Sicuro’’ operation, cashed in Libyan territory. The causes of the event are being assessed’’, the Italian statement concluded. Operation ‘‘Mare Sicuro’’, or Safe Sea, entails Italian naval operations to monitor activity in the Central Mediterranean off the Libyan coast. This includes illegal migration and terrorism. Secondly, AFRICOM reported on November 22 that ‘‘An unarmed U.S. Africa Command remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) was lost over Tripoli, Libya, Nov. 21 [Libya Herald, 23.11.2019];
- Brigade 106 of the Libyan National Army (LNA) targeted armed groups allied with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in Al-Sawani-Hira battle axis in Tripoli environs. The Media Center of the 106th Brigade confirmed on November 21 that its military units succeeded in making progress to the positions of the armed groups [Address Libya, 22.11.2019];
- seven people – two Libyans and five foreigners – have been killed and 15 civilians have been injured in an airstrike by Khalifa Haftar’s forces on a biscuit factory in Wadi Rabea in southern Tripoli, field medical center confirmed on November 18 [Libya Observer, 18.11.2019].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has denied sending Sudanese soldiers to fight with the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, or any other party in Libya. Al-Burhan said during a televised interview: “The talk about sending Sudanese troops to Libya is not true. We did not send anybody to fight in Libya. No one or any country asked us to send soldiers there, and we are not a party to the Libyan conflict.” [Address Libya, 22.11.2019];
- the European Union has condemned the bombing of a food factory in Wadi Rabea area, south of Tripoli, offering condolences to the families of the victims. “The international humanitarian law must be respected and those who violate it should be held accountable,” the EU stressed in a statement on November 19, underlining that effective and urgent measures must be taken, in order to ensure the safety of civilians [Libya Observer, 20.11.2019];
- the European Union is accusing the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) of turning migrant detention centers into a “profitable business model”, leaked report shows. The Guardian newspaper obtained exclusively a leaked EU report details the fate of migrants and refugees fleeing for Europe who have been picked up by the Libyan Coast Guard and put in official and unofficial detention camps in dire and dangerous conditions [Address Libya, 20.11.2019].
